Research Project: Migration in the Context of Psychotherapeutic Practice
Austria is home to people from diverse cultural, religious, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds, contributing to the country’s rich social fabric. Despite this diversity, individuals with a migration background may still encounter disadvantages and structural inequalities in various areas of life. To ensure equitable and migration-sensitive care, particularly in the psychosocial health sector, in-depth research is essential.
This is why our research project focuses on the dynamics of psychotherapeutic first sessions involving clients with a migration background. Using video recordings of selected initial interview demonstrations, we explore how interactions between clients and therapists unfold from a transcultural perspective. What challenges might arise for both clients and therapists? What shared approaches emerge in navigating these situations? And what potential lies within this therapeutic relationship?
The interdisciplinary research project is conducted in cooperation with the Institute for Qualitative Psychotherapy Research at Sigmund Freud Private University (Faculty of Psychotherapy Science), the Department of Sociology at the University of Vienna (https://inmi.univie.ac.at), and the Psychotherapeutic University Outpatient Clinic at Sigmund Freud Private University Vienna (https://ambulanz.sfu.ac.at/en/adults) as a research partner.
The findings of the study are intended to inform the training and education of psychotherapists, with the goal of improving psychotherapeutic care for individuals with a migration background and reducing existing inequalities.
Further Information on the Study and Data Protection
Further Information on the Study and Data Protection
As part of the research project Migration in the context of psychotherapeutic practice, video recordings (exclusively) of the psychotherapeutic initial consultation demonstration (with a psychotherapist before referral for psychotherapeutic treatment) are carried out at the Psychotherapeutic University Outpatient Clinic of the SFU Vienna. Initial consultation demonstrations are selected initial psychotherapeutic consultations that are observed by students for training purposes. For this purpose, there is a mirror wall in the therapy room through which the students can observe the initial consultation from the next room. As part of the research project, a camera is also placed behind the mirrored wall, but is not visible to the patients. A separate audio recording device is placed in the therapy room.
The video recording of the initial interview is discussed with the psychotherapists and the researchers for the purpose of analysis. This is done without the presence of the patients. In addition to this data, the participants’ name, age, gender, profession, first language, origin and contact details are collected.
The data collected as part of the study is recorded on electronic data carriers and supporting notes are taken where necessary. All records will be securely stored electronically at the Sigmund Freud Private University until the end of the study. No project-related data will be stored at the Psychotherapeutic Outpatient Clinic of the SFU Vienna. The recordings or parts thereof will be converted into written form for further processing (transcription) and pseudonymised (i.e. information that could lead to your identification will be changed or removed from the text). At no time will video recordings or images be published in the course of the research project. Only the project staff will have access to the video recordings.
The data will be pseudonymised as soon as possible. During pseudonymisation, data that could easily identify the participants, such as name, address, is removed and replaced with a code. The list with the codes is stored separately from the rest of your data. This is a security measure. After evaluation, your data will either be deleted or anonymised.
Project Researchers
Project Researchers
The research project is being conducted by the Institute for Qualitative Psychotherapy Research (Faculty of Psychotherapy Science) at Sigmund Freund Private University in co-operation with the Institute of Sociology at the University of Vienna. Authorised persons who are obliged to maintain confidentiality and who can be attributed to the person responsible have access to the data and process it insofar as this is necessary for the project.
Contact Information
Contact Information
Institute for Qualitative Psychotherapy Research
Sigmund Freud Private University Vienna
Freudplatz 1, 1020 Vienna | 4th floor, Room 4002
quali@sfu.ac.at
Mag.Dr. Birgitta Schiller (Co-Leader, Institute for Qualitative Psychotherapy Research)
birgitta.schiller@sfu.ac.at
Eva Wimmer, MA (Co-Leader, Institute for Qualitative Psychotherapy Research)
eva.wimmer@sfu.ac.at
Mathias Grüner, MA (Study Coordinator)
mathias.gruener@sfu.ac.at